Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-23

The Kentucky Desperate Meets His
Fate al Last.
SHOT no DEATH BY A sHERIFF's PossE-rwo OF Hts
BROTHERS AND ANOTHER RUffIAN FAIA WITH
HIM.

SHOT TO DEATH BY sHERIFFs PoSsE-rwo or HIS
BROTHERS AND ANOTHER RUFFIAN FAIA. WITH
HIM.
Craig Toliiver, the desperado, who has kept
Rowan County, Kentucky, I'm a state OF terror for
several years. was killed by a sherir's posse ut
Morehead yesterday. With him fell his two BROTH
ers Bud and Jay Tolliver, and Hiram Cooper all
desperadoes For several weeks the respectable
people OF Morehead have been leaving the place in
fear of their lives The Tolliver- Martin feud
started about three years ago. and since then the
whole OF Rowan County has been horrified at tho
bloody work OF Craig Tolliver and his gang. Not
long ago he decided that he wanted 10 be elected
judge. and he let IL be known that there would be
a great many voters killed IL he failed OF election.
So he became judge Then he began TO throw re-
spectacle citizens into Jail Among Others, he put
DIR. Logan popular citizen, In prison. and then
murdered Logans two sons. IL was this act that
led TO his own death and the destruction OF his
gang.
PREPARING FOR A DESPERATE UNDERTAKING.
Sheriff Hogg, acting under the authority or the
State organized posse TO arrest Tolliver and his
band for the murder OF the Logans. IL was known
that the arrest could not be made without blood
shed, and IL was decided To make the advance In
the daytime, SO that the women and children could
get out o. the way. Craig Tolliver received infor-
nation OF the movements OF the sheriff. He and
his party consisting OF about ten men, were quite
vfgilant, and went heavily armed 10 meet every
suspicious characters and 10 see that no one goe
of at Morehead but those whom they desired.
A SURPRISE AND FIGHT THE DEATH.
The sherif s posse, consisting OF nearly 100 men,
armed with Winchester rifles. appeared suddenly
at Morehead about y O'Clock yesterday morning
A Gordon was established around the entire town
I'm the brush where the men could not be seen.
The sherin then entered the town at the head OF
about 100 wel-armed men. Craig Tolliver and
his ten followers Immediately retreated to the
cottage Hotel. which they had previously barn.
caded In such r as 70 MAKE t quite for
liver that he had warrants for the arrest or all the
men implicated in the killing OF the Logan boys,
and asked that they all submit peaceably TO ar
rest under the law. Tolliver's reply was that
neither he nor his men would be arrested and that
100 men could not take them His party then
opened fire upon the sheriff 5 posse Quite brisk
rattle OF muSketry ensued, and the fighting was
kept up probably for two hours. The only casualty
for time was fiesh-wound received by one OF
the sherifr's posse. The attacking party, how
ever, were gradually drawing their lines closer
around .Tolivers fortifcation, and the bts1eged
party, finding things growing too warm, finally
concluded TO make
BOLD RUSH FOR LIBERTY,
cut their way through the sheriffs lines and take
to the adjacent brush which once reached would
afford them a secure escape. But as they made
the rush they We're met by tremendous volley,
which killed craig Tolliver Bud Tolliver Jay Toll
liver. and Hiram Cooper. They were all shot
through the heart and died Instantly. Craig Toll
was so thoroughly ridded as 10 be scarcely recog-
nizable. The other men OF the gang got through
safely, but as they approached the brush they
line OF men stationed 10 or IL feet apart all around
the town. This volley wounded Cate Tolliver, a
twelve year0ld boy, and three Others, all OF whom
were captured except Cate TOlliver, who crawled
into the brush and escaped The other three also
escaped, but one was captured aftcrward. This
brought the battle TO an end.
HOW THE FKUD BEGAN.
The Tolliver- Martin feud began during the Au-
gust election in 1884, when Cook Humphrey, q
young man OF twenty five. was the republican
candidate for sheriff against Sam Goodwin, dem
Ocrat The county had ordinarily gone democratic
by small majority, but Humphrey, being very
popular personally was elected by twelve major
ity The Martins allied themselves with Humph-
rey and the Toilivers with Goodw1n's cause. Craig
Tolliver, the leader OF the latter faction, swore
after the election that Humphrey should never
ride Rowan County as sheriff. since that date
many men have been killed, despite the best ef-
forts OF Judiciary and militia backed by the strong
arm OF the State government. The male members
of the Martin family, the original enemies or Craig
Tolliver and his faction, were obterated long ago
and the home burned to the ground, their women
and children barely escaping with their lives. The
Logans espoused the Martin side OF the feud. and
although three OF the younger Logans have been
killed, two OF them but short time ago, the elder
Logan headed the attack which has ended the
career OF Craig Tolliver and his brothers. In tho
three years during which this feud has existed
the militia has been called out twice and Rowan
County placed under martial law. The walls q
the hotel at MOrehead are full OF bullet-holeA